Jim McTernan – A Friend of All Dogs

The dog world is mourning the loss of Jim McTernan today. He passed away last night after a year-long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie.

Those who knew Jim remember him as an outgoing man who was always quick with a smile as well as a helping hand. His strong baritone voice could easily be picked out of a crowd and his gentle demeanor belied a gentle man who loved all dogs.

Jim and his wife, Marjorie, bred Norfolk Terriers with Catherine Cargo and Gaynor Green under the Capricorn prefix. However, many don’t know their first breed was Old English Sheepdogs. Jim and Marjorie’s first show was an OESCA match show held at the Fezzywig Kennels owned by the Van Rensselaers in Basking Ridge, NJ. Their dog won a blue ribbon and they were hooked. According to Marjorie, “Had we not won that ribbon we probably wouldn’t have continued showing dogs.  At the time of the win we thought our young dog was wonderful but we soon came to realize he wasn’t good enough.”  After years of showing Old English Sheepdogs successfully, they became involved with smaller breeds in addition to continuing their OES breeding program. They first began with Sealys and Scotties, then Norfolk Terriers stole their heart. They had numerous top Norfolks in the ‘90s and early 2000s including National Specialty winner and top sire, Ch. Nanfan Culver, piloted by Larry Cornelius and Ch. Max-well’s Walk On By aka “Wicket” who they co-owned with breeder Barbara Miller.  Also presented by Larry Cornelius, Wicket won 25 Best in Shows and was the top winning bitch in breed history. Jim and Marjorie also owned Ch. The Duke of Copperplate aka “Duke” handled by Larry Cornelius, who was Best in Show at Montgomery KC, Group 2 at Westminster and the Number 1 Terrier in 1999.

Jim was also instrumental in the success of Montgomery County KC and Philadelphia. His tireless work as the grounds chairman made him a fixture at Montgomery (Marjorie headed up hospitality) and he was an active member of the Philadelphia Kennel Club.

Jim will be missed by all who knew him, and his tireless effort toward making this sport better will never be forgotten.

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=57075

Posted by chesliepickett on Sep 10 2014. Filed under Breaking News, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.